Monday, June 12, 2017

The small church of the Byzantine rite, unified with Rome, has met for its first synod in a century. It wants its own bishop and resources for priestly education.

Bergamo (kath.net/jg) The Russian Greek Catholic Church accuses Pope Francis not to taking their concerns into account so as not to jeopardize the approach to the Russian Orthodox Church. This has been reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The leadership of the church, which is unified with Rome, wishes for its own bishop and resources for priestly formation. Currently, the Russian Greek Catholic Church is headed by Joseph Werth SJ, the Latin diocesan bishop of Novosibirsk.

"The survival of the Russian Greek Catholic Church is at stake," says Lawrence Cross, one of her priests, who lives in Melbourne, Australia. The head of the Russian Greek Catholic Church is meeting for the first synod for a century in Bergamo (Italy).

The relationship with the Russian Orthodox Church is strained. The Moscow Patriarchate tolerates the Greek Catholic clergy in Russia. However, a bishop of the Greek Catholic Church in Russia is unacceptable to the Orthodox, says Ronald Roberson, an adviser to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the United States. [But Orthodox Bishops in Italy are acceptable?]

With fewer than 30,000 members, the Russian Greek Catholic Church is one of the smallest churches in Rome. Most of them live outside Russia. There are communities in Western Europe, the USA, South America and Australia.

(Rome) The waves, because of the historic meeting between Pope Francis and the Russian Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow, have not been smoothed in Ukraine. The Greek Catholic Ukrainians, about 12 percent of the population, feel "betrayed". They accuse the Pope of representing too pro-Russian a line. To dispelled the fears, Francis received a delegation of the Uniate Ukrainians last Saturday in the Vatican.

The meeting between the two heads of churches on 12 February on the Caribbean island of Cuba earned general praise, but not in Ukraine. The apostolic nuncio tried in February to reassure the Greek Catholics. The day after the meeting in Havana, Nuncio Claudio Gugerotti went so far as to explain to the Ukrainians united with Rome in Kiev, they should simply "forget" the "Joint Declaration " of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow. It is a counsel, which, considering a conflict that has been brewing for centuries, and has meant persecution and oppression to the Uniates, is not sufficient. Certainly not, since an armed territorial dispute prevails in Eastern Ukraine between Ukraine and Russia. At the same time the nuncio assured the Uniate Ukrainians that Pope Francis was "close" to them.

The head, of the Orthodox Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, who has been in union with Rome since the 16th century, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk of Kiev-Halych, translated on 13 February, the words of the Nuncio for his confreres into Ukrainian, but not sparing his comments.

Uniates see themselves as the Eastern Orthodox Church, which adheres to the agreement of 1439

The Uniate Ukrainians, some five million believers, see themselves as representatives of the historical reconciliation of Western and Eastern Church at the Council of Florence of 1439. The remaining of orthodoxy approved the agreement of Florence, and sealed it with their signatures but then they have not kept it. It's a breach of contract which the Uniates refused to join. The Orthodox churches, especially the Russian Orthodox Church, see in contrast the Uniates as renegade Orthodox, which serve as "bait" by Rome.

The Moscow Patriarchate, according to estimates has 150 million believers worldwide, considers the Ukraine part of the Rus. In recent decades Rome was expected to retreat to the pastoral care of Latin Catholics. That's three percent of Ukrainians. The question of Unitarianism was illuminated the historian Roberto de Mattei: The "historic" meeting between Francis and Kiril ).

Pope Francis receives Greek Catholic Ukrainians in Vatican

As the words of the Nuncio were not enough to calm the Uniate Ukrainians, Pope Francis on Saturday, March 5, received the Major Archbishop Shevchuk of Kiev-Halych and other bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the Vatican. Ukrainians reiterated here that the encounter between Pope and Patriarch have been "prophetic" per se. But they have expressed at the same time also their unease over the political part of the "Joint Declaration" of Havana.

Rome states that the essential aim of the "Joint Declaration" is the creation of an alliance between Catholics and Orthodox against the persecution of Christians in the Middle East. Moscow also spoke of an alliance against the "crisis of the family", "against abortion and gay marriage."

While the Greek Ukrainians were shocked that the statement in the form of union with Rome is referred to as "outdated", Metropolitan Hilarion, the "Foreign Minister of the Moscow Patriarchate" showed himself to be happy "about it and spoke of satisfaction that had befallen the Russian Orthodox Church. The Declaration of Metropolitan Hilarion was published last Friday by the Osservatore Romano as an editorial. For the Russian Orthodox "Foreign Minister", the declaration is a step toward a "durable peace" in Ukraine.

Yves Hamant: Political Part of the explanation of Havana "is" Moscow

For the French Russia expert Yves Hamant, that it is "evident that the meeting serves the political interests" of both Patriarch Kirill just as much as Russia's President Vladimir Putin . "Kirill is recognized by the pope as the head of a community of a country where religion flourishes, while much of the rest of Europe is completely secularized."

Through the meeting, said Hamant, Francis had recognized the Moscow Patriarch as equal, as in Orthodoxy all the patriarchs have the same rank.

Barely an hour after the signing of the "Joint Declaration," Pope Francis showed himself, however, already worried about the political orientation of the document. In the airplane on the way to Mexico he tried to minimize the political side. "This is not a political statement, it is not a sociological statement, it is a pastoral statement," said the Catholic Church leader.

The Greek Catholics of Ukraine saw it differently and are still concerned. Then there was also the secrecy which formed ahead of the meeting in Cuba. The declaration was negotiated without the involvement of Ukrainian Catholics.

Kirill told the Russian news agency, Interfax that before signing, only five people on his staff knew the content of the "Joint Declaration." "It is impossible to prepare for an event of this kind in public," said the Patriarch.

Last Saturday Rome has tried to address the concerns and fears of the Uniate Ukrainians. Has it succeeded?

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Pope Benedict XVI may possibly visit the Greek-Catholic Archbishop of Kiev, Swjatoslaw Schwetschuk in the Ukraine.

Arcbishop Schwetschuk

Vatican City (kath.net/KNA) Pope Benedict XVI may possibly visit the Greek-Catholic Archbishop of Kiev, Swjatoslaw Schwetschuk in the Ukraine, according to him. The possibility about such a visit was already discussed for this year, said Schwetschuk on Monday in informal talks during the Bishops' Synod. With a view to the social importance it is being descried as a "delicate matter".

As to the question if the Pope might come to his country, Schwetschuk said: "I believe yes". The Catholics in Ukraine are awaiting Benedict XVI., says the head of the Greek-Catholic Church in Ukraine. The possibility of a papal trip to the Ukraine has been speculated upon for quite some time; an invitation has been extended by the Catholics united with Rome.

Monday, August 27, 2012

(Lemberg/Lviv) Half of the applicants for entrance in the west Ukrainian seminary are turned away because of a shortage of places: In the Ukraine it is not the exception but the rule. Jaroslav Pryriz, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Greek Catholic Eparchy of Sambir-Drohbytsch, explained in Konigstein at the international headquarters of the Pontifical Aid Agency, Kirche in Not [Church in Need], that for every seminary place in the Catholic part of Ukrain there are three applicants. In several parts of western Ukraine two out of three applicants are not accepted in the seminary, because the Bishops and the regents of the seminary don't know where they can accommodate the large number of young men in the seminary, who feel themselves called to the priesthood.

Since the collapse of Communism the number of applications has grown steadily. The Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church united to Rome have introduced strict standards for selection. Every applicant has to undergo four acceptance tests. Only the best will be taken, so long as there are places available, and they are much too few, says Auxiliary Bishop Pryiz.

Already in 2001 Kirche in Not published the documentary film Die Saat des Glaubens about the growth of the faith among Catholics in the Ukraine after the end of the Bolshevist dictatorship. The Greek-Catholics untied to Rome celebrate the Liturgy in the Byzantine Rite. They are concentrated in the western parts of Ukraine, which belonged up until the end of the First World War, to the Austrian Empire. Since 2011 the Senior Archbishop Syjatoslav Schwertschuk of Kiev and Halytsch is at the forefront of the Greek-Catholic Church of the Ukraine.

The relations to the Russian Orthodox Church is traditionally tense. The Catholic Ukrainians are considered by the Orthodox Church because of their union with Rome as apostate, although in the 16th century they did not join in complete union with the Moscow Patriarchate. During Communism, all Greek-Catholic churches were confiscated and -- as far as they remained churches -- were given to the Orthodox. Historically -- if also from other grounds -- there was also stress in the relationship between the Roman Catholic Poles and the Orthodox Russians. Through a common declaration of the Patriarch of Moscow Kyrill I and the Catholic Primate of Poland, Josef Michalik, an easing of tension was reached. The Greek Catholics of the Ukraine also hope and wish the same. Archbishop Schewtschuk explained on August 19th: "It would be my deepest wish, that something similar will also take place in Ukraine. I've already stated this many times. It would be very pleasing to us, if personal dialog on the level of our Churches could take place, so that the Patriarch of Moscow could recognize the UGCC as his dialog partner. Because till now, we are talked over to the Holy Father in the Vatican, and really it's always without us."

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

The Grand Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church: In a time of insecurity the Christian churches have been brought toward greater trust.

Kiev (kath.net/KIN) The Superior of the Ukrianian Greek Catholic Church, Grand Archbishop Swjatoslaw Schewtschuk, has descried the relations between the Catholic and Orthodox churches as "excellent" . During a visit to the international center of the Catholic agency "Kirche in Not" he stressed, relations have not been so good since today. The friendly and brotherly contact and concern lays close to him especially in the heart, explained Schewtschuk.

The Ukraine has over 45 million inhabitants, around 75 percent belong to the orthodox church, and most of them are of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is an autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1991 there was conflict for legitimacy and primacy in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kievian Patriarchate. The third Orthodox Church of the land is the Ukrainian Autocephalus Church.

In 1596 the uniate Ukrianian Greek-Catholic Church arose, which has around 5.5 million faithful. Roman Catholics are about 1.1 million (which are mostly Poles and Germans). The conflict between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church has been cited as an obstruction to ecumenism by the Moscow Patriarchate.

The Ukraine looks back on more than a thousand years of Christendom, explained Grand Archbishop Swjatoslaw. In the past century they have lived yet through another hundred years of aggressive atheism. The special mission of the Christian Churches lay in, "these Christian roots to rediscover and find new ways, to be present in society as Christians," said Schwetschuk.

"In a time of insecurity, in which there are processes at work in society, from which many have gotten the feeling that they aren't controllable any longer, the Christian Church will bring back great trust," exclaimed the Grand Archbishop. "The results of polls show that more people trust me than the president."

That since the Church is not dependent on the state, may "tell the truth and play an important role in society". Christendom has an essential role for the national unity of Ukraine. 'We are neutral, as far as politics goes, but we teach Christian Social teaching, promote the Gospel and defend the defenseless", explained Schewtschuk. In this authentic sense to be able to work, is one of the priorities for the Church of well formed priests.

The Superior of the these uniates of the Ukrianian Greek-Catholic Church thank "Kirche in Not" for the help, which they have made possible in the Ukraine for decades. He especially honored the founder of "Kirche in Not", Father Werenfrieds van Straaten in 2003. He himself is "a fruit of the work and the activity of Father Werenfrieds", there he received a stipend from "Kirche in Not" after the collapse of the Soviet Union from "Kirche in Not" where he received his Doctorate in Theology and returned back to his home. There he also was able to rebuild the priest seminary in Lemberg with help from "Kirche in Not". "Kirche in Not" still supports the Church in Ukraine today.

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Novosibirsk, September 1, Interfax - Uzhgorod City Council conveyed a monument to the October Revolution leader to a Greek-Catholic parish free of charge.

It will be recast and turned into a monument to Greek-Catholic bishop of the 18th century Andrey Bachinsky, who transferred diocesan residence and seminary to Uzhgorod and set up a big library there. His monument will be installed at Uzhgorod Cathedral Square, the Sibirskaya Katolicheskaya Gazeta (Siberian Catholic Paper) reported.

Earlier, the same incident took place in the town of Sambor, the Lvov Region. Statue of Mother Ukraine was made of Lenin's bronze figure. The new monument was set on the same base at the town ...

Worthy Initiative

Purpose

This is a polemical Catholic Royalist blog. It will also attempt to provide a window onto various events, situations and personalities not generally or favorably presented to the purview of the general public in the English speaking world. It also hopes to be a bridge for those who wish to cross over, unite and fight for the truth.